As you address seemingly large health concerns, lesser issues appear on the horizon and you can then address them too. It’s a fine-tuning process that I’m sure elite athless are used to–but the rest of us, not so much.

Since Dr. Jans Ellefsen of Alderney Chirporactic has been treating a decades-old lower back injury (including prescribing exercises) , I now have much more mobility and less pain. That’s a blessing. So many of us have this issue.

So other lesser injuries are now being addressed: the left knee, and as of today, the left shoulder that I hurt at the gym perhaps five years ago. As usual, he quickly pinpointed the issue, an injured muscle that in turn leads to a pinched tendon. In time, the tendon can be almost scraped away, he said. Glad we are on it.

Then he began Active Release Therapy (ART) which breaks up old scar tissue to improve range of motion, and recommened an exercise. The therapy hurt a bit, but already my shoulder feels freer, less stiff. I will start the exercises.

The body is a super-sophisticated machine, and it needs to be looked after. Often we treat our cars much better than our bodies, giving them regular maintenance checks and service. You don’t expect the machine to run forever without proper care. Let’s give our bodies the same care and respect!

He also showed me a book that compares how traditional cultures sit, stand, walk, and lift. Generally, these people are flexible and bend at the hips. It is much more natural and healthy for the body. In our culture we spend way too much time sitting slumped over in chairs, so we tend to bend our backs instead, putting pressure in all the wrong places. This is one of Dr. Ellefsen’s favourite themes. Think about it.